In a vehicle, such as an automobile, an impact absorber for absorbing impact is installed inside an installation space provided between an interior component with which an occupant is highly likely to make contact when a collision accident occurs and body components, such as various kinds of panels, located on the opposite side (back side) of the interior component from the vehicle compartment side and constituting part of the body. When the occupant makes contact with the interior component, for example, in a collision accident, this impact absorber moderates the impact applied to the occupant, thereby protecting the occupant. A knee bolster is taken as an example of this kind of impact absorber.
Furthermore, in recent years, a bumper structure has been designed, which is capable of decreasing the load applied to the legs of a pedestrian and reducing the damage value of the pedestrian in a vehicle-to-person accident, and a bumper absorber is taken as an example of an impact absorber to be used for this bumper structure. The bumper absorber is usually installed inside the installation space between a bumper fascia and a bumper reinforcement.
For example, as a technical document filed earlier than the present invention, Patent Document 1 (JP-T-2002-522286) discloses an expandable knee bolster.
In addition, Patent Document 2 (JP-A-2006-130936) discloses an impact absorber suitable for the doors, roof, bonnet, etc. of a vehicle.
Furthermore, Patent Document 3 (JP-A-2008-213577) discloses a bumper absorber disposed inside the bumper system of an automobile.